The Chinese word 供给 (gōngjǐ), meaning "to supply" or "supply", is a compound word formed by combining two semantically similar characters to reinforce a shared concept. The first character, 供 (gōng), originally implies "to offer" or "to provide for" (as in a tribute or offering), while the second, 给 (jǐ), means "to give" or "to grant". When paired, they create a synergistic meaning where 供 emphasizes the act of making something available and 给 stresses the action of transferring it to a recipient, together precisely defining the economic and logistical act of supplying goods or services. This formation exemplifies a common method in Mandarin for building vocabulary through the conjunction of near-synonyms to produce a nuanced, specific term.